East African · lunch, dinner
Maini (Zanzibar-Style Beef Liver in Tomato Sauce)
Maini ya n'gombe
Video by Aroma Of Zanzibar & Beyond on YouTube, in Swahili · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
36 g protein and 15 g net carbs a serve. Liver is one of the richest sources of vitamin B12 and vitamin A, and a serve gives about half a day's iron and nearly a day's folate.
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Ingredients 15
Method
The cook speaks Swahili; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.
- Peel the thin skin off the liver, cut away any tubes and cut it into bite-size cubes. 0:25
- Pound the garlic and ginger (with a pinch of salt) into a paste. Rinse the liver pieces well and drain them. 2:25
- Toss the liver with 1 tsp each of ground coriander, cumin, chilli powder and black pepper, salt, 1 tbsp of the garlic-ginger paste, the lemon juice and 1½ tbsp oil. Set aside to marinate while you make the sauce. 3:20
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide pan and fry the chopped onions until soft and golden. 4:10
- Stir in 2 tsp garlic-ginger paste with ½ tsp each of cumin and coriander, then add the chopped tomatoes and cook them down into a thick sauce. 5:00
- Add the marinated liver, stir it through the sauce, cover and cook gently until just cooked through — overcooking makes liver tough. 5:50
- Add the capsicum strips and the green chilli and cook a few minutes more, until the peppers are just tender. 6:30
- Scatter with chopped coriander and serve. 8:05
Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate). Served in the video with chapati; ugali, a salad or greens also suit it. Liver is extremely high in vitamin A, so keep it to an occasional meal, and avoid it in pregnancy.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 16%
- Protein 39%
- Fat 45%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin B12 High3751%
90 µg a serve, mostly from beef liver (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin A High1348%
12133 µg a serve, mostly from beef liver (99%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate High91%
366 µg a serve, mostly from beef liver (91%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High90%
1.5 mg a serve, mostly from beef liver (83%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Selenium High85%
47 µg a serve, mostly from beef liver (98%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Omega-3 High72%
1.2 g a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (93%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin C High69%
62 mg a serve, mostly from capsicum (77%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Zinc High65%
7.2 mg a serve, mostly from beef liver (94%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Iron High51%
9.1 mg a serve, mostly from beef liver (86%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin E High25%
3.8 mg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (54%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin K Source19%
23 µg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (37%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Potassium Source16%
770 mg a serve, mostly from beef liver (58%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Magnesium Source12%
51 mg a serve, mostly from beef liver (55%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Show the other 2
Vitamin D8%
1.5 µg a serve, mostly from beef liver (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Calcium4%
47 mg a serve. Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Aroma Of Zanzibar & Beyond; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.